Save-the-Date - 2024 AAJ Fall Conference: Designing for Change
Registration will open in July
Architects wield significant influence on our justice system by using design to create environments that not only better facilitate how justice is delivered but also embody principles of fairness, equity, and accessibility. By prioritizing human-centered design, architects create spaces that acknowledge the diverse needs and experiences of individuals, fostering environments conducive to physical and mental well-being, rehabilitation, and community reintegration.
This year’s conference will explore how architects are using design to reshape justice spaces and enhance access to justice for all individuals by use of some of the following strategies:
• Human-Centered Design: Prioritizing human-centric approaches in facility design, understanding the diverse needs and experiences of individuals within the justice system and their families and designing spaces that cater to those needs.
• Flexible and Adaptable Spaces: Recognizing the evolving nature of the justice facilities and designing flexible and adaptable spaces that can accommodate changing needs over time.
• Community Integration: Integrating justice facilities into the broader community fabric to foster inclusivity and accessibility, locating justice facilities in central, easily accessible locations that are well-connected to public transportation and community services and providing inviting public areas to encourage community engagement and interaction.
• Technology Integration: Harnessing the power of technology to improve access to services and leveraging technology to make justice services more efficient, convenient, and accessible to all individuals, regardless of their location or mobility.
• Restorative and Healing Environments: Designing justice spaces with a focus on promoting healing and rehabilitation, creating calming and therapeutic environments. Additionally, designing restorative justice centers with spaces for mediation, counseling, and community reintegration programs to support individuals in their journey toward rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
By employing these and other design strategies, architects are playing a crucial role in reshaping justice spaces and improving access to justice for all individuals. Through thoughtful and innovative design, architects are creating environments that promote fairness, equity, and dignity within the justice system.